When it gets hot out, I pretty much live on my patio, grilling whatever I can. Sometimes, I’m really motivated and let a pork shoulder soak in its rub for hours before setting it on a smoky grill to cook slowly all day. Most of the time, though, I grab a hunk of meat, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, slap it on the grill and let it rip until my meat thermometer tells me it’s done. In the middle of those extremes, there’s another option: this tasty marinade that takes just a few minutes to prepare and delivers fantastic flavor to any meat, poultry or fish you desire. I like to serve with grilled asparagus and potatoes, or with warm tortillas and guacamole.
2 tbsp. tequila
Zest of one lime
2 tbsp lime juice (from about 1 ½ or 2 limes, depending on their juiciness)
3 cloves of garlic, grated or crushed
1 small onion, grated (you can use whatever grating apparatus you’ve got handy – a box grater or Microplane will work equally well)
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, chopped fine (remove seeds and ribs to mitigate the heat)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Meat of choice (recommended: chicken breasts, flank steak, pork loin, jumbo shrimp)
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Sprinkle meat of choice on both sides with salt and pepper. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag – it will be a cross between a liquid and a paste. Add meat to bowl or bag, and toss to coat, rubbing the paste into the meat. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for between 30 minutes (for shrimp and delicate fish) and 1 hour (heartier meats), removing it from the refrigerator at least ten minutes before cooking. Grill, broil or sauté as desired. Serve with lime wedges.
by Tara Pierson Hoey
